Assaulted cop says he was never in Assembly gallery

Mumbai: The policeman assaulted by several legislators in Vidhan Bhawan premises, on Wednesday told Home Minister RR Patil that he was never in the visitor`s gallery of the Legislative Assembly, as claimed by the law makers.

"31-year-old Sachin Suryawanshi, who is undergoing treatment at the St George hospital in south Mumbai told this to Patil when he went there to enquire about his health," sources close to the Home Minister said.

"Suryawanshi told Patil that he had visited Vidhan Bhawan as per a directive from Council Deputy Chairman Vasant Davkhare, but did not enter the visitor`s gallery," they said.

The legislators, including Vasai MLA Kshitij Thakur and Ram Kadam (MNS), have based their "defence" on the policeman`s alleged "insulting gestures and words from the gallery," sources said.

"How can he gesture at them when he was not present in the gallery," they said.

The video footage available with Vidhan Bhawan authorities also substantiates Suryawanshi`s claims that he was not present in the gallery, sources said.

"Suryawanshi, in his statement to police, has said he was attacked by the legislators at around 12.30 pm yesterday after he had come out of Davkhare`s office on the first floor and was sitting on a bench, about to leave for the canteen," sources said.

The policeman has alleged that the legislators, notably, Kadam, threatened to kill him, they said.

Police have registered an FIR against Thakur, Kadam and "14-15 others wearing green and red badges," they said.

The members of Assembly wear green badges and Council members wear red badges.